Boyanup Railway Precinct

Child Places

• 15168 Preston Railway Bridge (original)
• 14751 Granny Simmon's House & Simmon's Staging Post (site)
• 15168 Preston Railway Bridge (original)
• 25847 Railway Dwelling (Simms-Cooke), 83 Bridge Street, Boyanup
• 14751 Granny Simmon's House & Simmon's Staging Post (site)

Statement of Significance

The place is associated with the expansion of the rail system in the State in the late nineteenth century in response to growing industry and agriculture. The place is a representative example of a small regional railway precinct in Western Australia. The place is likely to have significance for people who lived and/or worked at the railway station. The extant South West Rail and Heritage Centre is valued by the local Boyanup community and rail enthusiasts.

Physical Description

Boyanup Railway Precinct comprises the timber footings of the former railway bridge across the Preston River (1887), standpipe and water tank (1893), Oak trees (1904; 1919), three workers’ houses (c.1952), steel and timber Preston River Railway Bridge (c.1960), South West Rail and Heritage Centre (Boyanup Rail Museum) (1984), and Fettler’s Park (1994). The South West Rail and Heritage Centre (Boyanup Rail Museum) comprises of a group of buildings including a corrugated iron former goods shed and locomotive roundhouse. The three workers’ houses include two adjacent single story timber and corrugated iron Simms-Cooke houses, and a fibro, timber and tile single story dwelling. The place is located on a Railway Reserve in the suburb of Boyanup.

History

In 1883, a railway to Boyanup was discussed at a public meeting but a decision was made to instead invest in the local timber trade. The Surveyor General agreed with this, however the Commissioner of Railways requested that a preliminary survey of the line be undertaken. It took until 1886 for the gauge and path of the line to be decided, and the construction was completed in 1887. Comprising 25km, the line began at the jetty in Bunbury and ended near the Preston River in Boyanup. The line’s completion was commemorated with a trip by Governor Broome on 30 November 1887. By 16 November 1893, the line was extended to Donnybrook in response to the area’s expanding orchard industry. This extension also resulted in the need to relocate the railway station, which was situated north of Preston River.9 A trestle bridge and new station were constructed south of the Preston River. Between 1897 and 1911, T. E. Reilly was employed at Boyanup Railway Station as a repairer. On 12 January 1904, one of the Oak trees that remain extant was planted by Reilly in commemoration of the birth of his fourth son, Hugh. In the late 1960s, a new steel and timber railway bridge was constructed over the Preston River. On 17 October 1984 Boyanup Railway Station was closed as a manned station. In 1985, the good shed and locomotive roundhouse were relocated to the Boyanup railway yard from Bunbury Railway Station and converted into the extant South West Rail and Heritage Centre. In November 1985 the Museum was opened to the public.

Condition

fair/good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update